Friday, June 25, 2010

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy said here on Friday that the Department would strengthen community oncology activities across the State, modelled on the Community Oncology division at the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), with the cooperation of private sector hospitals as well as government hospitals. She was speaking after inaugurating the Silver Jubilee of the Community Oncology division at the RCC here on Friday.

She said one hospital in every district would be equipped as an early cancer detection centre, where the services of oncologists would be available at least once a week in the initial phase. This centre will coordinate with cancer treatment hospitals so that it will also function as a follow-up treatment centre for cancer patients.

Ms. Sreemathy said such early detection centres would be made a permanent feature as part of strengthening district-level cancer care and control activities. This was necessary as people often delayed seeking diagnosis and treatment due to the time and money they had to spend to reach specialised cancer treatment centres far away from their home district.